


Not Too Late

by writingramblr



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, BECAUSE FUCK THE HATERS REY IS NOT ACTUALLY A SKYWALKER, Childhood Friends, Drabble Collection, F/M, Implied/Referenced Incest, Kissing, Kylo Ren Redemption, Kylo Ren and Rey Are Related, One Shot, Pseudo-Incest, Rey is a Jedi, Romance, just because
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-17
Updated: 2016-04-17
Packaged: 2018-06-02 20:03:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6580369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingramblr/pseuds/writingramblr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Rey was the one to go after Kylo Ren, not Han?</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>[this is a complete AU 'verse ficlet but loosely follows canon to a point]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Too Late

**Author's Note:**

> i love the quote "it *is* you" from the novelization and i wished to hell they'd kept it in the movie....but oh well. here it is flipped and rey is the one who says it.
> 
> <3

The sun was fading quicker than it would have set on a normal day, as the Starkiller Base drained it of its energy, charging the deadly planet destroying weapon, and Rey found her own courage wavering as she stepped forward, out from behind the pillar she was using to hide from his sight.

He was walking away, purposefully, as if he didn’t even know she was there, but _oh_ , she could sense him as clearly as she’d first felt the Force flow through her, bringing life to her mind and her spirit.

They had a connection that had not weakened over the years, the once again growing distance between them and the urge to call out to him was becoming stronger than her resolve.

“ _Ben!”_

Her feet had taken her to the very edge of the yawning cavern that a slim bridge extended over, which he had just barely reached the center of.

He stopped at once, his shoulders rising and his body almost quavering from holding itself so still.  
He turned.

The black and silver of his mask gleamed dangerously at her in the dimming light, and Rey fought the tears stinging her eyes, as a sad smile formed on her lips.

How many years had it been? He’d always been taller, but now, he was probably a good three feet taller than when she’d last seen him.

“Reyna Skywalker.”

The voice was a practiced growl, dampened somewhat by the mysterious mechanics of his mask. He wore the mask like his last bit of armor, and yet, she knew it was all he had, all he could to keep from falling to his knees before her.

She could sense his fear, apprehension, and the walls he was putting up against her were fracturing.

“Ben what have you _done_?”

“That is _not_ my name. Ben Solo, is gone. I killed him. He was weak, and foolish, like his father. His father, I can sense, is not far. But he sent _you. You_ to retrieve poor Ben. Unfortunately for you, all there is, now, is Kylo Ren.”

His voice stumbled, just slightly, over the last two words, and Rey’s strength of will vanished, and she blinked, allowing twin tears to fall down her cheeks, but they weren’t hot, they were icy trails carved into her skin.

She’d cried many a night over him.

She’d thought him dead for real.

She’d trained even harder than ever before, fought back against the Dark side, the Dark thoughts, the feelings that had nearly killed her as well with sorrow.

Emotional attachments were forbidden.

But as a child, at such a young age, before she’d known any better, she’d fallen in love with him. It was wrong in more ways than because of the vows she’d taken in the new Jedi Temple.

Their blood was connected as their minds had been, and still were, in many ways.

“Take off that mask, you don’t need it.”

She was pleading with him, begging. She took another step forward, and she saw how he twitched, nearly moving backwards, but the great knight of Ren would not retreat. His pride would not let him.

“If I do, what you think you’ll see?”

She blinked rapidly, and her heart fluttered in her chest as she whispered,

“The face of my friend.”

The word tasted foul, and it was a lie. He had been so much more to her, and in her mind, still was.

With a hiss of machinery and a clunk that startled her, the mask fell to the bridge, and the face of Kylo Ren was revealed.

But it was Ben.

Ben Solo lived, no matter what he insisted. The face was long, scattered with the freckles Rey had called stolen stars, his long dark hair perfectly falling over his forehead, hiding the large ears she knew he still had, and the eyes were just as open and emotional as her own, even shimmering with unshed tears. He could not hide his feelings and thoughts without the mask. So he used it for that.

A mad desire to laugh bubbled up her throat,

“It _is_ you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

His eyes fell to the chasm beneath them, and then came back to her, but she saw the flare of recognition in his expression as she grew closer. She’d grown up, same as him, and she was cursed with a beauty that could cause wars or end them, if she allowed it.

“Stop this. Stop this madness. Come home with me.”

She was now close enough that if she reached out, she could touch him. Oh, how he still towered over her, by at least a foot, yet, she saw how small he felt, inside his mind. Those walls were crumbling to dust as she pressed in.

“It’s too late. I can’t. Snoke…” He broke off, glancing up and staring at nothingness, but Rey knew, even before his face drained of color. His Master knew she was here.

It was only a matter of time now.

Finn, the escaped Trooper and Han Solo and Poe Dameron and the fleet were on their way, doing their best, but she was the only one _there,_ with the actual connection to him. Even Luke wasn’t close enough to be of any help.

“It’s not too late Ben. We can defeat him, together.”

He looked to her again, and she saw the quake of his lip, and the fear in his eyes. She’d used his name, but he didn’t deny it. Didn’t try to fight her.

“I’m being torn apart. I want to be free of this, this pain.”

Rey frowned, and she inched closer, her hands fisting at her sides to keep from touching him.

“What are you talking about? Are you under his control, in here?”

She tapped the side of her head with one hand, although she ached to stroke his cheek. So she did. Her other hand shook and her lips pressed together tightly as she reached for him, touching his face, and feeling the chill of his skin against her sweaty palm.

For five seconds he resisted, until his eyes closed, and he leaned into her hand.

She felt his entire body relax a fraction.

Then he nodded.

“Will you help me?”

She nodded, and threw herself at him, caution gone, and when his arms came around her, catching her against him, she knew.

“Thank you.”

He sobbed into her shoulder, and she leaned up to press a kiss to the side of his cheek, and his entire body shuddered with the contact.

Before she could react, he’d pulled back and twisted into her, pressing his lips against hers, shocking her. But her hands were gripping his shoulders and moving to his hair before she knew what she was doing.

She had to stop it, had to break it, but the physical connection had renewed their mental bond and it was like being flooded with a thousand more emotions all at once. Relief, joy, fear, despair, and a tiny spark of hope.

The sun winked out of existence in the sky, and darkness flooded the cavern.

He pulled back, breaking the kiss.

“We need to go, now.”

Rey pressed, once she’d caught her breath, moving back to watch him, and he nodded, stooping to pick up his mask, and she frowned.

“Why do you still want that?”

Ben looked sad,

“It’s the only way I can possibly hope to escape with you and not get stopped. You’re my prisoner. I’m escorting you to a shuttle to take to Snoke.”

Rey blinked,

“Of course. You’re right. There’s no chance of sneaking out of here any other way.”

She glanced upwards as a sly smile crept over her lips, towards the ladder and the ledge that she’d climbed in through, and something like a sheepish expression took over his face.

“Oh.”

She reached out, taking his hand in her own, ignoring the strange feel of his glove against her skin, but relishing the way his fingers tightened around hers.

“We don’t have to steal anything. My ship is in the forest.”

***

The many words they used, dancing around what they really were, came to mind.

They’d once been family, then friends, then fellow padawans.

Until they weren’t.

Now what were they?

Something entirely beyond what Rey was sure her mind wanted to admit, but her heart ached for it.

When they came upon her ship, and he realized what it was, the Millennium Falcon, he didn’t even question it, he just gave her a look of awe.

“How are we going to get away?”

Rey jerked her head up towards the sky, and it was as if he’d just noticed the massive firefight taking place on the edge of the planet’s atmosphere.

“There’s a bit of a distraction going on.”

*

**_END_ **

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to hell, enjoy your stay, please have a cookie.
> 
> also i'm bitter cause i have been losing followers off and on and IDK why.  
> i did rewrite this some since it was posted on my tumblr.


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